    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2004, Book III)]
    [October 19, 2004]
    [Page 2600]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Letter to Congressional Leaders on Continuation of the National
    Emergency With Respect to Significant Narcotics Traffickers Centered in
    Colombia
    October 19, 2004

    Dear Mr. Speaker:  (Dear Mr. President:)
        Section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act, 50 U.S.C. 1622(d),
    provides for the automatic termination of a national emergency unless,
    prior to the anniversary date of its declaration, the President
    publishes in the Federal Register and transmits to the Congress a notice
    stating that the emergency is to continue in effect beyond the
    anniversary date. In accordance with this provision, I have sent the
    enclosed notice, stating that the emergency declared with respect to
    significant narcotics traffickers centered in Colombia is to continue in
    effect beyond October 21, 2004, to the Federal Register for publication.
    The most recent notice continuing this emergency was published in the
    Federal Register on October 20, 2003 (68 Fed. Reg. 60023).
        The circumstances that led to the declaration on October 21, 1995,
    of a national emergency have not been resolved. The actions of
    significant narcotics traffickers centered in Colombia continue to pose
    an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign
    policy, and economy of the United States and to cause extreme violence,
    corruption, and harm in the United States and abroad. For these reasons,
    I have determined that it is necessary to maintain economic pressure on
    significant narcotics traffickers centered in Colombia by blocking their
    property or interests in property that are in the United States or
    within the possession or control of United States persons and by
    depriving them of access to U.S. commercial and financial markets.
             Sincerely,

                                                              George W. Bush

    Note: Identical letters were sent to J. Dennis Hastert, Speaker of the
    House of Representatives, and Richard B. Cheney, President of the
    Senate. An original was not available for verification of the content of
    this letter. The notice is listed in Appendix D at the end of this
    volume.